1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method and new use of caulk material in the arts and crafts field, for building a durable dimensionalized ornamental form or figure on a special work surface for transfer and positioning on an artistic exhibition surface.
2. Background Information
The applicant is aware of U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,629,648; 4,496,510; 3,892,690; 3,790,331; 3,763,624; 3,332,055; 3,046,178; and 278,958; issued respectively, to Minick et al., Hanson et al., Setterstrom, Backer, Bergland eta al., Bogner, Tupper and Henay.
The Minick '648 patent reference discloses a pre-formed caulk strip having fixed dimensions and an extruded caulking strip for application for conventional construction purposes to seal cracks or seams to provide a better appearance in covering these items. Minick discloses a method essentially consisting of: (1) dangerously heating and melt extruding a thermoplastic film-forming polymeric material from a first extrusion orifice to form, only upon cooling down significantly in temperature, a continuous, dimensionally fixed, elongate plastic strip; (2) further melt, high temperature co-extruding of a caulk mass from a second orifice to form a fixed dimentionally shaped continuous plastic body; and (3) materially and substantially cooling the resultant, combined, dimensionally fixed caulk strip for use in conventional sealing and covering applications.
The Tupper '178 reference discloses a method consisting of extruding a continuously formed filament-tubing having substantially fixed cross-dimensions while also in a dangerously heated, high temperature, workable plastic condition for largely conventional construction and welding applications. The extreme heat is necessary to the functionality of the Tupper method to prevent solidification of the extruded tubing. Any decorative application of Tupper's product must be brought about by applying an extremely hot plastic tubing directly to an article; or, in the case of utilization in Tupper as an integrating weld, for securing articles of plastic composition to one another.
The Bergland '624 reference discloses a method of packaging polyurethane sealant compositions, consisting of adding a small amount of curing inhibitor to a container over this type of sealant prior to sealing the containers with a lid or cap. Bergland references the effect of moisture only in so far as disclosing that single package polyurethanes were normally cured by exposure to the atmosphere where moisture reacts with the isocyanote groups, thereby cross-linking the composition; and that this reaction with the moisture in the atmosphere had caused problems with this type of sealant during its packaging and in its packaged state.
Bergland disclosed that the existence of any moisture initiated the curing process, which thereby prevented the caulking tube from operating properly because the cap or plunger could not freely move within the tube. The Bergland invention addresses problems related to moisture curable polymer urethane sealants with its object being to eliminate premature moisture curing of the polyurethane sealant while it remains packaged in its container.
In the present invention, polyurethane sealant is not an indicated or preferred material. The present invention distinguishably indicates the preferred utilization of acrylic latex caulk or siliconized acrylic latex caulk, which is a very different class of material compared to the polyurethane sealant. The use of water in the present invention acts upon the acrylic latex caulk material to slow and control the curing process such that the hardening curing process, which with acrylic latex caulk could take place within as little as an hour, is substantially slowed, and the caulk material is kept in a malleable state for a desired period of time for the artistic purpose intended, such that it can be effectively shaped and molded to an attractive ornamental configuration.
Distinguishably, polyurethane or urea formaldehyde foam is not a true caulking material; it is normally relatively slow curing, but is used often for filling large cracks because of its ability to expand. It can also be used as a filler before caulking. However, to the extent that the two substances bear any resemblance to one another at all, the effect of moisture or water is considerably different. Polyurethane sealant is a relatively slow curing substance whose curing rate is speeded up by premature moisture curing with the introduction of moisture or water, the problem that Bergland addresses. Acrylic latex caulk is a relatively fast curing caulk material normally which the method of the present invention slows down considerably such that it may remain in a malleable state for forming and shaping caulk configurations in accordance with the present invention and method.
The Backer '331 reference discloses a flower die apparatus for extruding cake flower designs, and is designed to address the problem of forming an entire flower in a one step operation for cake decorating purposes. U.S. Pat. No. 278,958 to Henay discloses an improvement in ornamenting structures, and relates to the formation of a continuous strip by forcing a plastic or semi-fluid material through a circular mouth piece on to a surface. The preferred substance utilized is disclosed to be a mixture containing whiting, raw linseed-oil, resin and glue.
None of the references specifically illustrate or teach the present invention. Nor is the present invention obvious in view of any of the prior art references listed herein. In addition, all of the prior art heretofore known suffer from a number of disadvantages:
(a) The prior art references do not disclose a device or method reasonably capable, without the utilization of high temperature and/or high pressure ranges of safely and economically forming or shaping a caulk body after its initial application into a dimensioned configuration. PA1 (b) Certain of the prior art references require dangerously high temperatures in order to produce a single or composite body, or to apply a substance on to an article for seaming, welding or decorative purposes, such that special equipment apparatus is necessary to prevent a user or participant from serious injury. PA1 (c) The prior art sets forth no specific method or approach, or device or system suggesting such a method, for treating a suitable caulk material with a water fluid in accordance with specific formulae on a special work surface under room temperature conditions, to achieve a delayed curing, such that small and larger durable, dimensionalized configurations can be fabricated by a workable, malleable precured caulk material for transfer and desired placement on an artistic exhibition surface such as a canvas. PA1 (d) The prior art inventions provide no readily accessable equipment or easily utilizable method for fabricating durable, ornamental, dimensionalized caulk configurations, that are readily or easily useable by nontechnically trained or handycapped people, or which are readily utilizable without complicated and/or dangerous apparatus for such people. PA1 (e) The prior art further suffers in not disclosing method of forming durable, dimensionalized caulk forms and figures which may be fabricated by hand, or which require numerically less, and less complicated, supporting equipment. PA1 (f) The prior art further fails to disclose a method of fabricating a thin but durable caulk material background surface for use as a background surface on canvas and the like, for drawing and painting thereon, and for receiving other caulk-like forms and configurations, and other items, in various artistic and craft applications and embellishment. PA1 (g) The prior art references also disclose no meaningful method or device for providing discernable stages of precuring and curing such that forming and sculpting additions or changes can be easily and safely made to a caulk material body over a period of time before the finally cured and hardened configuration is placed on an article or ultimate exhibition surface. PA1 (h) The prior art additionally suffers from the inability to provide a method or apparatus, or any teaching from which such would be obviousness, which discloses or inhances any known characteristics in acrylic latex caulks, or other closely related caulks, to be effectively shaped or sculpted under room temperature conditions through a defined numerical relationship where the caulk material is effectively treated with water or a water fluid to create a slurry or colloidal state, to bring about a precured state whereby the caulk material could remain effectively malleable for periods of time providing the opportunity to fabricate a desired configuration.
Accordingly, it is the object of the present invention to provide a novel and expeditious method, utilizing a new use for acrylic latex caulks for fabricating a durable, dimensionalized ornamental configuration under safe room temperature conditions on a facilitating multilayer work surface for transfer to an exhibition surface.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved method for treating a suitable caulk material with a water fluid in accordance with special formulae on an improved multilayer work surface which enhances the effect of a water fluid upon a caulk material body, to achieve a measured and planned and reliable, delayed curing time, so that smaller and larger, durable dimensionalized configurations can be built and fabricated by a precured caulk material having enhanced and improved malleableness, workableness and shapeability, for transfer and desired placement on an artistic exhibition surface.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a method with a readily accessable and easy to use supporting equipment options capability, so that nontechnically trained and handicapped persons, as well as skilled-trained persons, can utilize the present invention, without the need for complicated and/or dangerous apparatus; to build dimensionalized caulk configurations, which can be fabricated by hand or simple, less complicated supporting equipment.
Yet a further object of the method of the present invention is to provide a meaningfully defined method for fabricating a thin but durable caulk material background surface for artistic exhibition surfaces such as canvas, and the like; where this constructed surface after early drying can be utilized to attach configurations made in accordance with the invention, or other forms and figures; and after additional drying, can be utilized for drawing/painting and other artistic-craft embellishment.
An additional object of the invention is to provide a method of fabricating acrylic latex caulk configurations which relies upon special discernible stages of precuring and curing so that desired forming, shaping and sculpting adoptations and additions can easily and safely be made to a caulk material body over a lengthened, advantageous work period, to add the particularly desired embellishment or configuration, before the finally cured and hardened configuration is completed and ready for transfer to an ultimate exhibition surface.
Yet an additional object of the invention is to provide a method and supporting apparatus to enhance the workable characteristics of acrylic latex caulks to be shaped or formed under room temperature conditions, where a defined numerical relationship is provided for effectively treating the caulk material with water fluid to create a slurry state to facilitate a precured condition where the caulk material can remain effectively malleable for lengthened periods of time for providing the opportunity to more accurately and completely fabricate a desired configuration, which would otherwise have been previously impossible in any expedient and safe manner under the old prior art technology.